John Chae’s Convoluted Digital Illustrations

John Chae takes us into a labyrinthine world in his digital illustrations, shaping human figures and landscapes into blocky architecture evocative of the multi-level structure of vintage video games. If laid out on a single, flat plane, Chae’s work would have a narrative structure evocative of comics and anime. But Chae purposely disrupts these narratives by mutilating any sense of cohesion, instead using the figurative elements to create abstract cacophonies of vivid color. Take a look at some of his work below.